THE  LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 
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ADDRESS 

TO  THE 

FIRST  GRADUATING  CLASS 

OF 

ittijm  female  (Allege; 

DELIVERED  IN 

THE  FOURTH  AVENUE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 

(REV.  DR.  CROSBY’S), 

ON 

SABBATH  EVENING,  JUNE  2d,  1867. 

BY 

HENRY  M.  PIERCE,  LL . D . , 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  COLLEGE. 

PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST  OE  THE  TRUSTEES. 


Nero  Stork: 

AGATHYNIAN  PRESS. 


1867 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/addresstofirstgrOOpier_O 


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President’s  Address. 


In  the  year  1839,  great  labor,  care,  expense,  and  after 
long  consultation,  was  the  Rutgers  Female  Institute  founded. 
It  grew  out  of  an  increasing  sense  of  the  importance  of  the 
duties  of  women,  and  of  the  need  that  her  work  should  be 
well  done.  Hence  the  establishment  of  the  school,  with  its 
course  of  studies,  its  libraries,  its  apparatus,  its  teachers.  A 
quarter  of  a century  has  witnessed  a great  change  in  the  ed- 
ucation of  woman;  and  the  position  of  Rutgers  Institute 
to-day,  as  a College,  marks  the  character  and  degree  of  that 
change. 

It  has  been  my  custom,  to  make  a personal  address  to  the 
members  of  each  graduating  class,  as  they  have  gone  forth 
from  the  quiet  of  the  school  to  the  busy  walks  of  life.  My 
heart  now  impels  me  to  follow  this  usage,  but  the  change 
that  has  taken  place  in  this  institution,  during  the  past  year, 
seems  to  make  appropriate  to  the  present  occasion,  a few 
preliminary  statements  of  my  views  as  to  what  is  the  true 
position  of  woman,  and  what  should  be  her  education. 

These  are  questions  that  deeply  agitate  the  public  mind. 
They  are,  in  fact,  the  leading  questions  of  the  day ; but  in 
regard  to  them,  I shall  not  shrink  from  the  utterance  of  my 
opinions.  Underlying  the  question  of  the  education  of 
woman,  is  the  question  of  her  equality  with  man ; for  if 
woman  be  inferior  to  man,  so  should  be  her  education. 

Some  might  be  disposed  to  reverse  this  proposition,  and 


4 


to  say  that  just  in  proportion  to  her  inferiority,  should  her 
training  be  more  careful  and  complete.  There  might  seem 
to  be  some  truth  in  this  idea ; but  a little  deeper  thinking 
will  convince  us  that  to  try  to  make  up  in  this  way  for  her 
supposed  deficiency,  would  be  to  attempt  an  impossibility. 
The  end  could  not  be  reached ; the  bounds  that  nature  had 
appointed  could  not  be  passed. 

It  is  also  clear  that  if  woman  be  the  equal  of  man,  she 
should  receive  as  good  an  education  as  man,  a proposition 
too  plain  for  argument.  So  is  also  our  third  proposition — 
which  exhausts  this  branch  of  the  subject — that  if  woman  be 
superior  to  man,  she  should  receive  a better  education  than 
man  : for  it  is  a first  principle  in  morals,  that  every  power 
which  God  gave,  He  meant  should  be  unfolded  to  its  fullest 
extent. 

I am  fully  persuaded  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when 
it  will  be  thought  almost  incredible  that  the  question  of  the 
inferiority  of  woman  should  ever  have  been  seriously  de- 
bated. For  it  is  not  without  higher  warrant  than  that  of 
human  reason,  that  I would  claim  for  woman  an  equal  place 
by  the  side  of  man.  When  in  the  beginning  God  created 
the  heavens,  the  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  even 
as  He  then  made  laws  for  the  stars  and  the  seas,  so  did  He 
then  fix  and  determine  forever  the  sphere  and  the  destiny  of 
man  and  of  woman.  Driven  out  of  Paradise  into  the  world 
on  account  of  sin,  neither  man  nor  woman  took  their  place 
at  once ; and  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  woman’s  sphere  was 
the  last  of  the  two  to  be  understood. 

The  Old  Testament  contains  the  germs  of  the  great  truths 
of  all  time ; but  over  four  thousand  years  were  needed  to 
prepare  the  human  mind  for  the  coming  of  Christ ; and  it 
was  reserved  for  Christ  fully  to  declare  what  place  the  Cre- 


5 


ator  had  designed  for  woman.  I am  fully  persuaded  that 
upon  all  great  questions  touching  humanity,  the  human 
mind  will  at  length  accept  the  teachings  of  Christ  as  final ; 
and  the  question  whether  or  not  woman  is  the  equal  of  man, 
I conceive  to  be  authoritatively  settled  by  Him,  when  he  pro- 
nounces marriage  such  a union  as  excludes  the  idea  that 
there  can  be  essential  inferiority  in  one  of  the  parties.  His 
ideal  of  marriage,  unknown  alike  to  the  classical  nations  and 
to  the  Hebrews,  is  incompatible  with  the  inequality  of  the 
sexes.  Nor  do  we  find  a trace  in  His  life  or  teachings,  or 
in  those  of  His  Apostles,  which  tends  in  the  least  to  counten- 
ance such  an  idea.  The  few  apparent  exceptions  to  this 
statement  grow  out  of  Oriental  usage,  or  are  explained  by 
the  truth  that  subordination  is  consistent  with  equality. 
Not  even  superficial  reasoners  should  have  been  misled  by 
these  exceptions,  when,  generally  speaking,  there  is  no  dis- 
tinction in  the  moral  duties  enjoined  on  each,  none  in  the 
warnings  and  promises  addressed  to  each,  none  at  the  cross, 
none  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

Equality,  though  it  excludes  the  idea  of  inferiority,  is 
consistent  with  diversity.  There  is  a difference  between 
the  sexes,  that  at  once  raises  the  question  whether  there 
should  not  be  a difference  in  their  education. 

After  the  most  careful  thought  that  I could  give  to  the 
subject,  I am  of  the  opinion  that  it  should  be  the  same  to 
a much  greater  extent  than  most  persons  are  willing  to  con- 
cede. Up  to  a certain  point,  the  education  of  men  is  much 
the  same  : beyond  that  point  comes  in  a special  training. 
Thus,  on  leaving  college,  the  young  man  who  is  to  pursue 
law,  receives  a legal  training.  But  the  great  fact  here  to  be 
noticed  is,  that  up  to  a certain  point,  all  liberally  educated 
men  are  trained  much  in  the  same  manner.  For  a long 


6 


time,  a liberal  education  seems  to  take  no  note  of  the  spe- 
cific ends,  which  finally  it  may  be  desirable  to  aim  at.  It 
contents  itself  with  enlarging  and  strengthening  the  mental 
powers.  It  unrolls  before  the  young  man  the  ample  page 
of  knowledge,  confident  that  this  is  the  best  preparation  for 
any  path  that  he  may  finally  choose. 

If,  then,  it  is  best  for  the  young  man  that  by  a liberal  ed- 
ucation, his  memory  should  be  strengthened,  his  reasoning 
powers  disciplined,  his  judgment  matured,  his  mind  en- 
larged— why  is  it  not  best  for  the  young  woman  also  ? 
This  is  a question  for  those  who  differ  with  us  to  answer. 
It  is  a question  that  none  would  seriously  ask,  were  it  not 
that  the  minds  of  many  are  unconsciously  swayed  by  a be- 
lief in  the  essential  inferiority  of  woman.  It  can  only 
arise  from  this  pernicious  error,  or  from  some  doubt  as  to 
the  real  advantage  of  a liberal  education  ; — an  error  and  a 
doubt,  both  of  which  should  be  remanded  to  the  Dark 
Ages. 

Generally,  then,  we  would  say,  that  there  is  no  reason 
why  woman  should  be  debarred  from  any  part  of  the  studies 
common  to  all  liberally  educated  men. 

I say,  common  to  all  liberally  educated  men.  I do  not 
wish  you  to  infer  that  I consider  the  course  of  instruction 
in  our  colleges  for  young  men  in  every  particular  the  wisest 
and  the  best.  On  the  contrary,  early  in  my  college  life  I 
thought,  and  the  years  of  maturer  life  have  strengthened 
the  idea,  that  in  the  curriculem  of  colleges,  too  little  im- 
portance attaches  to  the  science  of  nature,  and  to  the  study 
of  the  human  soul, — not  the  study  of  the  abstract  meta- 
physics which  the  schoolmen  bequeathed  to  us,  but  of  man 
as  he  is, — and  too  little  importance  attaches  to  the  study  of 
the  Hebrew  and  the  Christian  Scriptures, — the  fountain 


7 


whence  the  ever-enlarging  river  of  our  civilization  flows. 
Neither  did  I then  think,  nor  do  I now  think,  that  a 
familiarity  with  the  classics  alone,  is  either  a sufficient,  or 
altogether  the  best,  preparation  for  life  in  our  own  day — for  a 
life  in  which  shall  pulsate  all  the  great  emotions  of  our  time, 
— for  a life  in  complete  sympathy  with  nature,  with  man,  and 
with  God. 

In  the  United  States,  the  college  course  for  young  men 
was  modeled  after  that  of  the  European  Universities,  which 
were  founded  when  the  Greek  and  the  Latin  were  the  only 
fully  developed  tongues  ; when  the  languages  of  modern 
Europe  were  in  a formative  process  ; when  works  on  science, 
philosophy,  medicine,  jurisprudence,  and  theology,  and  all 
legal  documents,  state  papers,  and  treaties,  were  done  in 
Latin;  when  all  discussions  and  correspondence  were  carried 
on  in  Latin  ; and  when  modern  science  yet  waited  for  the 
thoughts  of  Bacon,  the  intuitions  of  Kepler,  and  the  dis- 
coveries of  Galileo. 

Now,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Italian,  French,  German, 
and  other  languages,  have  been  brought  to  a high  state  of 
perfection,  and  almost  every  work  on  art,  science,  literature, 
or  philosophy,  is  composed  in  the  author’s  vernacular.  Yet 
our  colleges,  with  unfortunate  fidelity,  have  hitherto  adhered 
much  too  closely  to  the  course  of  study  marked  out  by  their 
ancient  models. 

But  nothing  should  gratify  the  friends  of  education  more 
than  the  changes  that  are  now  beginning  to  take  place,  not 
only  in  our  own  institutions  of  learning,  but  even  in  the 
English  Universities  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge.  The  No- 
vum Organum  of  Bacon  has  triumphed,  and  is  leading  us 
from  the  study  of  a dead  Past  to  the  study  of  living  and 
eternal  truth.  The  establishment  of  scientific  departments 


8 


and  schools  of  mines,  in  connection  with  some  of  our  noble 
and  time-honored  colleges  and  universities,  is  a virtual  ac- 
knowledgment that  not  the  ancient  classics,  but  the  modern 
classics,  should  rank  first  in  the  studies  of  youth ; not  the 
classics  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  but  the  classics  of  Nature. 

I would  not  be  misunderstood  in  this  matter.  The  grand 
classics  are  grand  indeed  ! Greece  and  Rome  were  grand  ; 
but  their  grandeur  grew  out  of  high  aspirations,  tending  to 
a grand  life.  They  turned  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the 
left,  they  looked  not  backward,  they  went  right  straight  oil, 
and  thus  became  truly  great. 

We,  too,  have  a greatness,  as  a nation,  to  attain:  and  we 
must  attain  it,  if  at  all,  in  the  same  way.  We  need  not 
fear  that  the  truth  developed  by  different  nations,  will  or 
can  be  lost.  Truth  once  known  can  never  be  hidden.  The 
results  of  each  generation  and  century,  pass  on  into  the 
future,  and  are  interwoven  into  the  woof  of  our  ever- 
growing civilization. 

The  Greek  and  Roman  energy,  thought,  and  character, 
permeate  the  life  and  soul  of  modern  Europe.  The  arts, 
the  sciences,  the  literature,  the  civilization,  of  Greece  and 
Rome  we  have  to-day.  They  are  out  on  the  air;  they  are 
incorporated  in  our  social  and  intellectual  life  ; they  are  not 
afar  off,  they  are  here  to-night — here  in  our  streets,  here 
in  our  homes  and  in  our  hearts.  They  are  living,  and  speak 
with  living  tongues : — that  part  of  them  found  in  books 
alone  may  truly  be  called  “dead.” 

In  our  opinion,  a college  founded  to-day,  should  conform 
its  curriculum  to  the  growth  of  the  world,  in  letters,  and 
thought,  and  science,  and  civilization,  and  Christianity ; — 
while  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages  should  be  studied  only 
for  specific  ends. 


9 


If  we  had  the  years  required  for  a thorough  study  of  the 
classics,  and  an  equal  time  to  give  to  the  natural  sciences, 
then  both  might  be  pursued  to  advantage.  But  as  we  have 
not  time  to  pursue  to  any  considerable  extent  more  than 
one  of  these  departments,  I would  give  a rudimentary 
training  in  the  classics,  and  devote  the  best  energies  of  the 
young  to  those  studies  which  have  for  their  objects,  life  and 
its  pursuits,  man  and  his  destiny,  God  and  His  works. 

The  sphere  of  woman  differs  widely  from  that  of  man  ; 
but  this  is  neither  the  time  nor  the  place  to  unfold  our  views 
upon  the  question  in  what  way,  and  to  what  extent,  this  fact 
should  modify  the  course  of  study  in  a college  for  women  ; 
a question  which  all  must  recognize  as  one  of  great  practical 
difficulty,  as  well  as  of  great  practical  importance.  The 
conclusions  at  which  we  have  arrived  on  these  subjects — 
the  results  in  part  of  experience,  and  in  part  of  the  cordial 
aid  of  a large  number  of  distinguished  educators — will  soon 
be  laid  before  the  public  in  the  curriculum  of  the  college. 

We  therefore  here  content  ourselves  with  repeating,  that 
generally  the  studies  pursued  by  women  should  be  those 
that  are  pursued  by  men ; and  that  they  should  be  pursued 
much  to  the  same  extent.  Surely,  there  is  nothing  which  the 
under-graduate  learns  in  his  college  course,  which  he  should 
not  be  glad  that  his  wife  should  know  as  well  as  himself. 
Surely  a liberal  education  has  miserably  failed  of  its  aim, 
when  a man  desires  in  a wife,  not  an  equal,  but  a toy  or  a slave. 

The  idea  of  woman  as  a slave  is  a barbarian  idea.  The 
savage  has  it  to  perfection,  and  because  he  has  it  he  is  a 
savage.  The  savage  makes  woman  do  the  work  of  a beast 
of  burden  ; the  half-civilized  Chinese  puts  on  her  all  the 
drudgery  of  hard  work; — “the  wife  drags  the  plough,  the 
husband  sows  the  grain.” 


IO 


To  the  savage,  woman  is  a slave.  The  half-civilized  man 
combines  with  this  the  idea  of  woman  as  a toy.  This  is  an 
unchristian  idea ; unhappily  it  is  too  common  even  with 
us  ; yet,  with  some  other  degrading  ideas,  it  is  a relic  of 
heathenism.  The  whole  difference  between  civilized  Europe, 
half-civilized  Asia,  and  savage  Africa,  can  be  accurately 
measured  by  the  idea  of  woman  ; the  best  test  of  civiliza- 
tion, in  either  a nation  or  an  individual. 

The  question,  then,  whether  our  civilization  is  to  advance 
or  to  retrograde — stand  still  it  cannot — depends  on  the 
place  hereafter  to  be  given  to  woman.  As  to  this  question, 
the  present  seems  to  be  a sort  of  crisis.  The  signs  point 
both  ways  ; on  the  whole,  the  prospect  is  hopeful  and  cheer- 
ing : but  we  must  either  go  back  or  go  on  ; we  must  become 
either  more  Asiatic  or  more  Christian. 

The  hopeful  indications  are  general  in  their  character,  and 
embrace  all  that  is  cheering  in  the  signs  of  the  times. 
Those  that  forebode  evil  are  more  specific  in  their  relations 
to  women  ; and,  though  differing  among  themselves,  they  all 
point  to  one  common  end,  viz.,  the  destruction  of  the  family. 

The  Church,  the  State,  and  the  Family,  are  alike  ordained 
of  God.  The  ordering  of  the  Family  pertains  to  woman  ; 
of  the  State,  to  man;  of  the  Church,  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Each  of  these  organizations  exists  by  divine 
right,  and  therefore,  within  its  own  sphere,  is  sovereign. 
Yet  the  preservation  and  perfection  of  all,  depend  on  that 
of  each.  In  the  words  of  a distinguished  Greek  scholar: 
<c  Each  inculcating  the  same  lesson,  although  with  sanctions 
continually  ascending ; each  successively,  in  the  order  of  its 
rank,  supplying  the  defects  of  the  lower  ; yet  each  to  be  re- 
garded as  divinely  appointed  by  the  same  eternal  Source  of 
all  law  and  rightful  authority,  in  heaven  and  earth.” 


The  family  is  destroyed  when  its  unity  is  destroyed.  Of 
various  causes  tending  to  this  result,  we  shall  speak  only  of 
two  particulars  in  our  legislation.  According  to  the  law  of 
Christ,  the  husband  and  wife  are  one  person  : to  this  fact, 
the  old  common  law  in  a good  degree  conformed ; but  the 
tendency  of  recent  statutes  is  to  do  away  with  this  idea,  by 
making  the  property  of  the  wife  distinct  from  that  of  the 
husband,  and  giving  to  her  separately  its  management ; — 
thus  at  once  creating  a diversity  of  interests. 

We  recognize  the  necessity,  in  certain  cases,  of  such  a 
distinction  in  the  control  of  property  : but  we  deplore  this 
necessity,  we  are  fearful  as  to  its  tendency,  and  we  hope  that 
the  practice  may  never  extend  beyond  rare  and  exceptional 
cases. 

If  each  of  the  contracting  parties,  as  they  might  properly 
be  called,  have  large  possessions,  so  that  the  disposal  of 
property  does  not  often  arise,  the  evil  is  less.  But  with  the 
great  majority  of  families  that  compose  the  body-politic, 
the  spending  of  a little  of  their  very  little  money  is  a ques- 
tion of  moment,  that  comes  up  from  day  to  day,  and  almost 
from  hour  to  hour  : and  if  a garment  cannot  be  bought,  or  a 
meal  provided,  without  raising  the  question  of  separate  pecu- 
niary interests  between  the  heads  of  the  family,  and  that  too 
in  the  presence  of  the  children,  the  unity  of  the  home,  its 
sacred  peace,  and  its  hallowed  lessons,  are  at  an  end ; and  it 
may  be  that  the  strong  passions  so  constantly  appealed  to, 
will  rend  the  family  asunder.  We  have  heard  of  a legacy 
of  seven  hundred  dollars  to  a wife,  that  led  to  a divorce. 

In  accordance  with  the  effect  of  such  legislation,  made  to 
cover  exceptional  cases,  but  which  is  ominous  of  general 
corruption,  are  those  laws  of  divorce  which,  in  several  of 
our  States,  practically  tend  to  make  marriage  a contract  dis- 


12 


soluble  at  the  will  of  the  parties  ; thus  encouraging  persons 
foolishly  to  rush  into  it,  and  madly  to  break  from  it.  It 
is  said  that  in  one  New  England  State,  one  marriage  in  ten 
is  thus  dissolved  ! The  State  thus  presumes,  for  causes 
that  the  Church  does  not  hold  to  be  sufficient,  to  put 
assunder  those  whom  God  hath  joined  together. 

Our  object  is  by  no  means  to  discuss  these  subjects,  but 
merely  to  glance  at  them  as  illustrations  of  a strong  ten- 
dency to  innovate  without  due  regard  to  the  sacred  oneness 
of  the  family.  Even  education  is  an  evil,  so  far  as  it  may 
tend  to  infringe  upon  this  unity  ; and  it  is  of  the  highest 
value,  only  as  it  may  tend  to  secure  it.  This  is  the  true 
ground  of  the  principle  which  we  before  laid  down,  and 
which  we  would  extend  to  every  grade  of  society,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  viz.,  that  the  wife  should  have  as 
good  an  education  as  the  husband ; and,  what  is  of  equal 
importance,  the  mother  should  have  as  good  an  education 
as  the  children. 

Whatever  breaks  in  upon  the  oneness  of  the  family, 
brings  with  it  evil  for  which  it  cannot  furnish  any  sufficient 
compensation,  either  to  woman  or  to  man.  The  destruc- 
tion of  the  family  is  the  destruction  of  woman  : it  is  that 
of  man  also. 

The  destruction  of  the  family  is  likewise  the  destruction 
of  the  State.  The  family  is  the  foundation  stone  on  which 
the  higher  edifice  rests  ; and  if  this  stone  be  removed  out 
of  its  place,  or  ground  to  powder,  the  more  imposing  fabric 
of  government  falls  to  ruin.  The  no-family  and  no-gov- 
ernment fallacies  are  the  same  in  principle ; and  they  com- 
plete themselves  when  they  add,  no  Church,  and  no  God. 

The  profligacy  of  our  cities,  like  the  poison  of  the 
cholera,  infecting  the  whole  of  the  country ; the  frenzy  of 


fashion,  bewildering  the  minds  of  women  ; the  lust  of  gold, 
gnawing  at  the  hearts  of  men  ; these  things  of  themselves 
might  lead  us  to  fear  that  the  family  and  the  home  might 
become  things  of  the  past ; and  if  so,  our  civilization  would 
vanish,  “like  the  baseless  fabric  of  a vision.”  But  we  look 
for  better  things:  Christ,  the  Word  of  God,  “by  whom 
and  for  whom  are  all  things,”  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
family  so  deep,  that  they  cannot  be  removed.  We  may  dis- 
regard them,  to  our  destruction,  as  did  Babylon  and  Rome 
of  old,  but  whatsoever  He  hath  decreed,  He  will  finally 
bring  it  to  pass. 

That  ideal  of  woman  which  we  would  fain  behold  realized, 
is  H is  ideal.  He  ordained  that  the  place  of  woman  should 
be  by  the  side  of  man,  as  his  equal ; and  this  ideal,  which 
He  foreshadowed  in  the  Scriptures  from  the  beginning,  He 
will  accomplish.  His  religion  is  a religion  of  far-continuing 
purposes ; it  is  one  religion,  from  the  first  promise  that 
the  seed  of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  serpent’s  head,  to 
the  end  of  the  world. 

It  may  be  an  appropriate  close  to  these  somewhat  discur- 
sive, yet  related,  remarks,  to  show  that  the  idea  of  woman 
in  the  old  Hebrew  Scripture,  was  the  germ  that  Christianity 
is  ripening  to  the  flower. 

One  book  of  the  Scripture  seems  to  have  been  written 
to  place  a Hebrew  youth  in  full  possession  of  all  the  wisdom 
of  age.  It  states  that  its  design  is  “ to  give  to  the  young 
knowledge  and  discretion.”  I speak,  of  course,  of  the  book 
of  Proverbs.  This  is  an  extended  series  of  practical  pre- 
cepts ; of  precepts  everywhere  marked  by  that  religious  sen- 
timent which  ever  gives  to  practical  truth  its  highest  value; 
of  precepts  embracing  the  whole  life  of  man  ; of  precepts 
so  profound  and  exhaustive,  that  the  wisdom  and  the  expe- 


14 


rience  of  all  subsequent  ages  and  nations  have  added  to 
them  but  little. 

From  the  difficulty  of  rendering  axioms  and  pithy  sayings 
into  another  language,  our  translation  of  this  book  is 
somewhat  defective.  It  often  misses  the  point  of  the  saying 
which  it  aims  to  reproduce.  But  there  can  be  no  mistake 
as  to  the  leading  ideas  in  the  description  before  us.  The 
place  that  it  holds  in  the  book  of  all  human  wisdom,  is 
good  evidence  that  a high  place  was  meant  to  be  given  to 
woman  in  the  Hebrew  Scripture;  its  opening  and  its  closing 
words,  moreover,  strengthen  this  impression.  The  value 
of  a perfect  woman  £C  is  far  above  rubies.’’  ££  The  heart  of  her 
husband  doth  safely  trust  in  her ; he  shall  have  no  need  of 
spoil.”  Precious  gems — the  favorite  form  of  wealth  among 
the  Orientals — are  thus  disparaged  in  comparison  with  her ; 
and  he  that  hath  a true  woman,  needs  no  other  riches. 

In  the  very  spirit  of  the  first  divine  word  as  to  woman — 
<£  It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone” — it  is  here  written  ; 
<£  She  shall  do  him  good  and  not  evil  all  the  days  of  her  life.” 

Again,  at  the  close  of  the  description,  it  is  written, 
<£Give  her  of  the  fruit  of  her  hands” — that  is,  deal  justly 
with  her — yield  not  to  the  mean  spirit,  that  thinks  that 
whatever  is  conceded  to  woman,  is  so  much  taken  from  the 
birthright  of  man.  The  writer  goes  beyond  the  proverb 
of  the  French:  ££  A good  wife  is  half  the  battle;”  and, 
though  the  husband  is  ££  known  in  the  gates,  when  he  sit- 
teth  among  the  elders  of  the  land,”  his  prosperity  seems 
wholly  attributed  to  her.  Indeed,  he  is  reduced  to  such 
insignificance,  that  all  he  can  do  is  to  stand  still  and  praise 
her.  This  he  does  with  hearty  good  will ; saying,  as  good 
husbands  always  say  to  good  wives — common  excellence  in 
woman  always  affecting  a man  with  uncommon  surprise — 


5 


cc  Many  daughters  have  done  virtuously,  but  thou  excellest 
them  all.” 

Young  Ladies  of  the  First  Graduating  Class  of  Rutgers 
Female  College. 

In  this  portraiture  of  a woman  of  another  country  and  of 
a distant  age,  to  which,  for  various  reasons  I have  called 
the  attention  of  the  general  audience,  there  are  inwrought 
characteristics,  the  excellence  of  which  I would,  in  this  hour 
of  parting,  hold  up  to  you  for  imitation. 

“ She  worketh  willingly:” — “in  her  tongue  is  the  law 
of  kindness:” — in  her  heart  is  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

Of  the  many  things  that  I would  gladly  impress  on  your 
hearts,  as  I address  you,  as  my  pupils,  for  the  last  time,  I 
can  select  but  few,  and  perhaps  none  more  appropriate  than 
the  virtues  and  excellencies  which  this  portrait  suggests. 

One  characteristic  of  this  woman  is  energy:  “She  riseth 
while  it  is  yet  night”: — ”She  eateth  not  the  bread  of 
idleness.”  She  exemplifies  the  spirit  of  the  truly  Scriptural 
precept:  “Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with 
thy  might.”  Her  example,  then,  is  one  of  habitual  industry, 
a habit  which  has  much  more  to  do  with  a truly  virtuous 
life  than  is  generally  supposed.  Labor  strengthens  all  the 
virtues;  idleness  weakens  them  all: — idleness  is  the  fruitful 
source  of  vice. 

In  every  sphere  in  which  you  may  be  placed,  there  will  be 
work  to  be  done; — to  be  done  religiously — that  is,  faith- 
fully as  unto  God; — to  be  accepted  by  you  as  FI  is  manifest 
will,  and  to  be  done  willingly  as  unto  Him. 

One  of  the  chief  ends  of  your  education  has  been,  to  give 
you  the  trained  intellect,  that  you  may  quickly  and  correctly 
discern,  in  each  relation  and  circumstance  of  life — from  day 
to  day,  and  from  hour  to  hour — what  is  the  work  that  you 


are  called  upon  to  do.  Another  chief  aim  has  been  to  give 
you  that  disciplined  self-command  that  will  enable  you — 
not  lazily  putting  it  off  till  a more  convenient  season — to  do 
it  at  once,  and  to  do  it  thoroughly  and  well. 

If  you  have  here  gained  or  strengthened  the  habit  of  in- 
dustry, preserve  it  to  the  end.  Without  labor,  there  is  no 
excellence  and  no  happiness.  It  is  the  most  vulgar  of  all 
vulgar  errors,  that  a lady  is  a person  who  does  nothing. 
Such  a person  would  be  good  for  nothing,  and  miserable 
indeed.  Work,  however,  is  of  many  kinds;  work  of  the 
brain,  and  work  of  the  heart,  as  well  as  work  of  the  hands; 
and  the  humblest  kind  is  not  the  hardest. 

It  is  another  vulgar  error,  that  work  is  degrading.  Labor 
was  imposed  on  our  fallen  race,  because  it  was  fallen  ; but 
the  decree  went  forth  more  in  pity  than  in  anger.  Work 
was  not  imposed  upon  the  angels,  for  they  needed  no  such 
compulsion.  Angelic  natures  work  willingly  and  cheerfully; 
and  how  is  the  idea  that  to  do  nothing  is  a desirable  thing, 
reconciled  with  the  sublime  words,  C£  My  Father  worketh 
hitherto  and  I work.” 

In  the  description  of  the  woman  of  old,  it  is  said:  uIn 
her  tongue,  is  the  law  of  kindness;”  and  this  I would  most 
earnestly  entreat  you  to  emulate,  believing  that  few  things 
would  conduce  more  to  your  usefulness  and  happiness.  Saint 
James  tells  us  that  “if  any  man  seemeth  to  be  religious, 
and  bridleth  not  his  tongue,  this  man’s  religion  is  vain.” 
Elsewhere  in  his  Epistle,  you  may  learn  how  difficult  a 
thing  he  conceives  this  to  be.  It  requires  a perfect  control 
of  one’s  self,  and  a large  charity.  Of  the  former,  we  hope 
that  you  have  gained  something  here;  the  other,  you  can 
gain  somewhat  from  experience,  but  in  perfection  only  from 
the  grace  of  God. 


*7 


I would  have  your  conversation  governed  by  the  charity 
of  which  the  Apostle  Paul  saith,  that  it  “suffereth  long  and 
is  kind;  envieth  not;  vaunteth  not  itself;  is  not  easily 
provoked;  thinketh  no  evil.”  This  kindness  of  spirit, 
this  charity,  is  a high  Christian  grace;  but  it  might  almost 
be  taught  by  experience,  seeing  how  little  we  really  know 
the  motives  that  sway  the  human  soul,  and  how  often  the 
severe  judgments  which  we  pronounce  on  our  fellow-mortals, 
have  to  be  reconsidered  with  much  pain  and  self  humiliation, 
when  perhaps  it  is  forever  too  late  to  right  the  wrong,  and 
to  recompense  the  suffering  that  we  have  occasioned. 

Friendships  broken,  causeless  enmities,  opportunities  for 
doing  good  and  getting  good  thrown  away,  too  often  teach 
us — too  late  to  prevent,  to  ourselves  and  to  others,  much 
lasting  injury — the  value  of  the  law  of  kindness  as  the  law 
of  our  words.  Especially  is  this  law  of  kindness  needed  in 
the  speech  of  woman,  whose  hasty,  thoughtless  words  can  in- 
fluence to  fury  the  pride  and  wrath  of  man,  and  set  on  fire 
his  heart  with  the  fires  of  hell.  Dissensions  in  families, 
hatred  between  neighbors,  enmity  between  states  and  nations, 
follow  when  woman’s  tongue  embitters  man’s  jealousy 
and  passion. 

If  the  sphere  of  woman  is  hereafter  to  be  enlarged,  we  all 
should  more  earnestly  hope,  and  more  fervently  pray,  that 
she  may  everywhere  carry  with  her  “the  ornament  of  a meek 
and  quiet  spirit,  which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great 
price.” 

What  is  the  characteristic  in  woman  that  should  most 
fasten  the  affections,  and  secure  the  esteem,  of  man?  Is  it 
the  varying  charm  of  manner,  or  beauty  of  person?  The 
Scripture  before  us,  answers  these  questions  in  a few  decisive 
words  : “Favor  is  deceitful,” — that  is,  an  unsatisfying  thing 


1 8 


— “and  beauty  is  vain  ; but  a woman  that  feareth  the  Lord, 
she  shall  be  praised.” 

I know  few  things,  even  in  the  Scripture,  so  thoroughly 
justified  by  observation,  and  at  the  same  time  so  little 
known  and  regarded,  as  this.  In  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  the 
fear  of  God  answers  to  the  love  of  God  in  the  Christian 
Scriptures,  and  so  may  be  taken  as  equivalent  to  true  piety: 
and  true  piety  in  woman  is  that  alone  which  really  can  draw 
from  out  the  heart  of  man,  the  sentiment  of  lasting  venera- 
tion. 

I cannot  urge  this  as  a motive  for  cultivating  the  spirit  of 
piety;  but  I surely  should  not  conceal  from  you  what  this 
Scripture  so  clearly  reveals,  in  this:  “ Godliness  hath  the 
promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  as  well  as  of  that  which  is  to 
come.”  But  I would  here  enforce  upon  you  the  duty  of 
piety,  from  other  considerations.  Piety  is  not  only  the 
highest  of  duties,  but  the  greatest  of  privileges. 

Young  Ladies,  life  is  so  limited,  our  responsibilities  are 
so  great,  the  consequences  of  pursuing  a wrong  course  are 
so  terrible  and  destructive, — even  so  far  as  this  life  goes, — 
that  you  cannot  afford  to  make  a mistake  at  the  outset. 
Experience  is  not  always  a sure  guide — it  cannot  teach  all 
the  important  truths  that  concern  this  life;  nor  can  you  trust 
implicitly  to  the  wisdom  of  either  parent  or  teacher,  nor 
commit  yourselves  to  the  guidance  of  passion,  or  to  the 
customs  and  opinions  of  the  world.  To  what,  then,  should 
you  go,  to-night,  to-morrow,  and  every  day  of  your  lives, 
for  safe  guidance — for  true  wisdom?  Need  I say,  to  the 
Bible  alone? — to  the  Bible  as  opened  to  your  minds,  and 
brought  home  to  your  hearts,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  granted 
to  you  in  answer  to  prayer.  By  thus  listening  to  its  voice, 
you  listen  to  the  voice  of  God;  by  taking  hold  on  its 


l9 


truths,  you  take  hold  upon  eternity.  You  are  thus  lifted 
above  yourselves; — above  your  passions,  your  littleness, 
your  ambition; — above  the  world.  You  are  thus  brought 
into  communion  with  the  Father  of  your  spirits; — with 
God,  who  alone  is  sufficient  to  fill  all  the  aspirations  of 
the  soul.  He  alone  is  wise  enough  to  be  your  sufficient 
counsellor; — He  alone  is  strong  enough  to  give  mortals 
strength. 

Of  His  glory  and  His  beauty,  all  the  glory  and  the  beauty 
of  the  things  that  He  has  made,  are  but  faint  emblems  and 
reflected  lights.  He  alone  is  worthy  to  be  loved  “with  all 
your  heart,  and  mind,  and  soul,  and  strength.” 

“Remember,”  then,  “your  Creator  in  the  days  of  your 
youth.”  “The  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away:” — “lay 
up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth 
nor  rust  doth  corrupt.”  “Set  your  affections  on  things 
above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God”:  “ and 
the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly;  and  I pray  God 
your  whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved  blameless 
unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 


4 


